Focus on skills over paper qualifications, NBTE urges polytechnics

The National Board for Technical Education has called on polytechnics nationwide to prioritise equipping students with practical skills, emphasising the need to shift away from an over-reliance on paper qualifications.

This call was made on Friday by the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, during a one-day retreat for members of the National Assembly committees on higher education and TETFund in Abuja.

“Even though education is on the concurrent list, we need to be on the same page. Polytechnics must focus on delivering skills and employability, and we should move beyond paper qualifications to ensure that graduates possess practical skills,” Bugaje stated.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Muntari Dandutse, echoed this sentiment, urging Nigerian polytechnics to adopt a skills-first approach.

Drawing lessons from countries such as China, Dandutse highlighted ongoing legislative efforts aimed at enhancing the capacities of polytechnics to foster industrial development.

“The House committee chairman and I decided to hold this very important retreat to join forces with the leadership of the polytechnics to ensure that, under the renewed hope agenda, we create industrial development through the polytechnics,” Dandutse said.

“Skills acquisition and all innovation begin with the polytechnics, so there is a need to revise the curriculum and improve funding to enable polytechnics to achieve what others have not.”

He further stressed the critical role of skills acquisition in global innovation, pointing to China and European nations as prime examples.

“Most of the developed countries, particularly China and much of Europe, rely on skills acquisition to drive invention and innovation.

“That is why, as lawmakers, we will ensure the creation of enabling laws to enhance the capacity of polytechnics and ensure value addition.”

Dandutse also praised President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to establish regional development commissions, describing it as a pathway to unlocking potential across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

With a renewed focus on skills and innovation, polytechnics are being urged to lead Nigeria’s industrial and technological transformation.